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Goal 11 - 1960-1975

Goal 11 - 1960-1975. Election of 1960. John F. Kennedy (D) v. Richard Nixon (R) Closest election since 1884 Less than 120,000 votes difference Kennedy wins Television debate helped him win Kennedy also gain African American vote when he showed sympathy for MLK in 1960 New Frontier

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Goal 11 - 1960-1975

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  1. Goal 11 - 1960-1975

  2. Election of 1960 • John F. Kennedy (D) v. Richard Nixon (R) • Closest election since 1884 • Less than 120,000 votes difference • Kennedy wins • Television debate helped him win Kennedy also gain African American vote when he showed sympathy for MLK in 1960 • New Frontier • “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” • Creates Peace Corps • Kennedy mystique was known as “Camelot”

  3. Kennedy & the Cold War • Kennedy adopts new idea of “flexible response” • Used conventional forces; not nuclear • Created Green Berets • Bay of Pigs • Eisenhower had cut relations w/ Cuba in Jan.61 • Fidel Castro took over as communist • Eisenhower’s administration creates plan to overthrow Castro w/ trained Cuban exiles • Kennedy backed CIA plan to invade Cuba w/ exiles • Plan failed miserably; Kennedy publicly took blame • Never trusted CIA/military leaders again

  4. Cuban Missile Crisis • Soviets sent nuclear missiles into Cuba • Kennedy planned to remove missiles; could lead to WWIII • Crisis avoided when Soviets offered to remove missiles in exchange for US promise to NOT invade Cuba • After Cuban Missile Crisis • Many Cuban exiles upset; switch allegiance to Republicans • US & Soviets also put in hotline between Washington & Moscow • Berlin Wall • West Germany & West Berlin are flourishing w/ capitalism • Many in East Berlin try to flee to W. Berlin • Khrushchev sees those leaving hurting image of communism • Builds a huge wall to keep people in communist East Germany/East Berlin • Wall seen as oppressive symbol of communism

  5. Kennedy’s Death • Kennedy was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963 in Dallas Texas • Lee Harvey Oswald is arrested for murder • Oswald killed by Jack Ruby before any trial • Vice President Lyndon Johnson takes over as President • Pushes for many of the bills Kennedy wanted passed (ie Civil Rights Act)

  6. Vietnam Era • Background Info • French controlled Vietnam after WWII • Push for independence, led by communist Vietminh & Ho Chi Min • N.Vietnam controlled by communists, S.Vietnam controlled by French (US supports w/ money) • Dien Bien Phu- French get out of Vietnam (lost battle) • Geneva convention- Vietnam to have free elections • US supports democratic S.Vietnam • Domino Theory- US afraid all South Asia will fall to communism if we don’t support S.Vietnam • Special Forces sent as military advisors during early 1960s • Gulf of Tonkin incident, 1964 • N.Vietnamese boat “attacks” US ship in Gulf of Tonkin • US uses “attack” to promote escalation • Congress passes Tonkin Gulf Resolution (LBJ can assist any Southeast Asian Country that is threatened by communism)

  7. US at War • US started bombings of N.Vietnam in early 1965 (Operation Rolling Thunder) • US begins escalation, sending more troops • 180,000 by end of 1965 • American troops commanded by William Westmoreland • Unhappy w/ ARVN troops; continues requesting more US troops • 500,000 US troops in Vietnam by end of 1967 • Fighting difficult (in jungles) • Vietcong use guerilla attacks, hit-and-run tactics, etc. • Difficult for US to know difference between enemies and friends • Vietcong supplied by N.Vietnam thru Ho Chi Min trail • Vietcong used threats on civilians, booby traps, tunnels, etc. • US counters with “Hearts and Minds” approach (help out Vietnamese citizens in order to gain support)

  8. US uses napalm & agent orange to help with jungle fighting • Problem of hitting innocent people • Troop morale gets low • Troops engage in drug use/alcoholism • TV coverage sends footage home • Protest of war begins • Mainly led by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) • Civil Rights leaders also call for change (disproportionate numbers of Af.Americans in service) • Tet Offensive – turning point of the war (1968) • North Vietnamese (Communists) attack US throughout S.Vietnam • Temporarily take over US bases, US Embassy • US kills more NVA; turns back attack • Public opinion changes against the war • LBJ decides not to run for re-election • Richard Nixon wins 1968 election; promises withdrawal of US troops

  9. Nixon withdraws 1st US troops in 1969 • Calls policy “Vietnamization” • My Lai massacre by US Soldiers, 26 put on trial. • Nixon bombs & invades Cambodia • Goes against promise to reduce war • Leads to Kent State Tragedy • (Student protest that gets violent, 4 students shot and killed by Nat’l Guard) • Nixon wins re-election in 1972, says “peace is at hand” • US signs agreement to withdraw troops in 1973 • All troops gone by March 29, 1973 • S.Vietnam falls to communists in April 1975

  10. Johnson’s Presidency • Early Life • Grew up in rural Texas; saw lots of poverty • Idolized FDR in early politics • Johnson’s Goals • Major concern at home was poverty • Johnson’s plan called Great Society (fights a “War on Poverty”) • Medicare & Medicaid • Headstart • H.U.D. • Tax cuts

  11. Court Cases • Mapp v. Ohio, 1961 – illegally seized evidence • Gideon v. Wainwright, 1963 – free legal counsel for underprivileged • Miranda v. Arizona, 1966 – legal rights of accused • Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg BOE, 1971 – school districts can use forced bussing for integration

  12. Nixon • More conservative; “New Federalism” • Gives more power back to state gov’ts • Nixon too paranoid; uses power illegally • FBI – wiretapped liberals • CIA – list of anti-gov’t people • IRS – tax audits of antiwar & civil rights activists • Had an “enemies list” • Economy suffers during Nixon’s presidency • stagflation • Cold War Strategy • Détente (easing of Cold War tensions) • Visits China and Soviet Union in 1972 • SALT I – talks to limit ICBMs

  13. Watergate • 5 men caught breaking into Democratic National HQ’s • Men were members of Committee to Reelect the President (CRP) • Nixon uses cover-up to keep top aides from being fired or dismissed • Documents destroyed • $500,000 in bribes handed out • CIA pressures FBI to stop investigation • Tape recordings of conversations • Story cracked by newspaper reporters • Nixon v. US, 1974 • Nixon forced to surrender taped phone conversations • 18 minute gap on tape (had been destroyed) • Congress begins impeachment process • Nixon resigns before being impeached; Gerald Ford takes over as President

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